protected-growing-1

Grow6: Week 15th May

Brighter sunny days will see young and established plants responding, but they’d grow better still with some protection- in many places, the wind is cold, and nighttime temperatures are just above freezing. This leaves young plants with soft new growth at risk and will slow down germination rates too.

  • Keep ‘hardening off’ plants- if moving young plants from a windowsill outdoors, leave them out during the day and bring them in or cover them up at night until they have adjusted to a change of temperature.
  • Choose the sunniest, sheltered spots you can find for growing your plants.
  • If you can create mini-greenhouses or ‘cloches’, do. Young plants and seedlings get all the warmth of any sun and none of the cold wind that will slow their growth.
  • Keep an eye on nighttime temperatures and, if necessary, gently wrap plants up at night with bubble wrap, a large plastic bag or anything else you can find for a bit of extra protection.

Don’t be tempted to rush out and buy horticultural fleece; it is a single-use plastic and unlikely to last for the next growing season.

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